I love to cook, experiment, try new foods and restaurants. As a coeliac this is often a little difficult. There is the converting recipes that you have used for years, to be GF friendly. Eating out somewhere new, or even with a new chef, it's either a great night or a huge pain in the belly! I hope you enjoy my recipes, stories and adventures of my life as a coeliac.

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Sunday, 14 August 2011

First Testimonal of the GF and Casein Free diet

Finally I got to catch up with my old friend, the amazing author of the blog stranger than fiction. It was a surprise visit and she brought me some ultra yummy gf biscuits, one packet tastes like Tim Tams, needless to say the entire packet is gone! I did have a bit of assistance though!

Apart from how lovely it was to catch up we got to talk about one of her children, master J, who has autism and she has tried the gf and Casein diet. Finally I had the chance to ask lots of questions!

Point one: I think it's essential to say she noticed more eye contact and an overall behavioral improvement on the gf and casein free diet! Which is amazing and meant so much to gain that little bit more communication and understanding of their son (can't forget the hubby)! Which for any parent or teacher the slightest notion that something to do as simple as gf and casein diet may help in so many ways is definitely worth a go!

Point two: they noticed massive changes in his bowel movements ie; from constipation to diarrhoea with any intake intentional or not of any form of gluten. It is important to not that although this is common, Master J is currently getting blood tests and maybe even having to get an endoscope test, the camera down the throat, the only conclusive way to diagnose coeliac.
But it is important to note that Mrs Stranger Than Fiction, stated that other parents of children with autism on the diet experienced similar problems.

Point 3: Both husband and wife noticed Master J, was more engaged with a variety of activities. Which once again is a massive positive and a great feeling for the entire family!

Point 4: Both husband and wife noticed that Master J was responding more frequently to his name. Once again a big improvement!! It nay not seem much for some people but this is a big achievement and huge positive for trying and sticking with the diet!

Point 5: Gluten free food is rather costly. Mrs Stranger Than Fiction, told me they were spending $100 each week on food for master J alone, not including the other 4 family members!

Now this is the part which I am endeavoring to help out families and indeed anyone on the gf casein diet, see apart from the bread and I have a semi solution for, that's the only real extra we spend on groceries, oh the occasionally gf pizza base, some of the gf flours are more expensive and the cereal but again
I have a solution for. I'll start with the bread and cereal money saving tips; at Coles you can buy Basco brand packet mix bread, if you keep your eye out, when they come close to the use by date, the price drops massively, I got the last packet for around $1.50!, it expired in a few days but I baked it (it's easier just follow instructions and mix for a fair amount of time in an electric mixer) then put in loaf tin and bake. Hot or warm this bread tastes like gluten bread! It doesn't keep for long, but cut into individual pieces wrap in plastic wrap and then put entire cut and wrapped loaf into the freezer, it lasts best this way! You can also make your own bread using a bread maker, I've done it and it's great but I will keep you updated when I make my own with all the different types of flour required. Now next money saving tip, breakfast cereal I eat rice cereal with fruits and the same applies as for packet mix bread. My theory is something like rice porridge will be ok to eat a bit after the use by date, and yet another bargain. I also eat the coco bomb, cereal Aussie made (I even got permission from my nutritionist to eat it, the rest of my diet was healthy and I am a big kid) and its about the same price as other gluten cereals. Also if you join the Coeliac Society of Australia http://www.coeliac.org.au/#, I'm sure in other countries they may have similar facilities, you do need to complete a form and have a section completed by your doctor and there is also an annual membership fee, but there are regular discounts at Coles on GF products, yet another savings!

I am over the next few months (it may take longer due to my poor health), starting to develop quick and easy gf and Casein recipes that the whole family can eat, that take a maximum of 20 minutes to cook from beginning to end, without eating frozen meals or preparing two or three different meals. The time factor and expensive wasn't something that came into my mind, as a non parent, and a lover of cooking, I hadn't realised that, but having many friends and family with small children, I do know the crazy hour from about 4.30pm to bedtime, and with a child with autism or behaviour issues and trying to cook several meals or complicated meals its just goes in the too hard basket. And I don't cook two meals, the only time Poppa Smurf (husband) eats something slightly different is I might have gf pasta and he will have normal pasta and that's it! And I use gf flour in all cooking, he eats what I cook, though since I've been so unwell with spasms he has been doing most of the cooking and its rather good!

So as I develop these recipes I will post them up and I will create an additional page that is dedicated to Autism, ADHD and behaviour issues and as I know casein (basically non diary) is something that most children are on, I will try my best to make these recipes friendly to those on both the gf and casein diet.
I would also like to add that my entire Bridal Shower the food was gf, apart from one plate, my family likes cooking and everyone loved all the food, so parties don't need to have gf and gluten food, if you or your child are on the diet, make everything gf, most people love it and if you like, don't tell them. The hard thing is when you or your child go to a party, and there is nothing you can eat, for adults, bring something for yourself (and fill up before you go), for kids, my recommendation would be to call up before explain your child's dietary requirements, the normal food they can eat (ie, plain chips, lollies etc) and explain why you will be bringing food, just for them (so not to offend the organising parent), and your child gets to eat cake that why when the other kids do.

I am also going to attempt more research and will be sharing that with you and creating pages that explain autism, ADHD and in layman's terms some of the medical research that has been done into the impact of these diets on autism and ADHD.

I would also love to include some testimonials of parents who have tried the diet and have either success or failure, just someone to share their story would be great. And as a teacher I can tell the difference when small changes are made to a child's diet, so I can imagine the major changes from the gf casein free diet.

Also I have added a link that you can follow me by email, basically if you like my post and read it regularly sign up and it will get delivered straight to your email address. Don't forget you can also follow me on Facebook and I will also be setting up a link to like me on Facebook soon, and a how to follow me page for beginners to the blogging world.

I hope you have found this helpful and please pass on to anyone with autism or ADHD. Also a massive thank you to the wonderful writer and old and dear friend of Mrs Stranger than Fiction, without her input, this post would not be possible!

I would also like to include this website, which I used a number of times to research this post, there is an ambudance of information on here, and its in simple, easy to read terms, which is always helpful!!http://www.autismweb.com/diet.htm

I really hope this helps and when I write the next post I will have the separate autism page up like the recipe pages. Please remember to follow me if you have been reading and like me on Facebook!

Also don't forget the GF Expo is Sydney is Friday (but only in the evening) and 26th August and Saturday the 27th. I will be there and my cards will be at two different stores, I will devote a post closer to the date with more details.

Please let me know what you think of this post and if it has helped you in anyway or inspired you!

An old work colleague left this comment on my fb page, her son has been on the gf cf diet for a couple of years. We noticed a big improvement too. We have done a lot of research and got alot of advice. It's hard at first but it gets easier. He has cakes, biscuits, chips, ice cream and we made saucy chocolate pudding the other week. It's just a big commitment.